From the Oak Ridge National Laboratory: FRED database gathers root traits to advance understanding of belowground plant ecology. I love that they named it FRED. “Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) scientists have released a new global, centralized database of plant root traits, or identifying characteristics, that can advance our understanding of how the hidden structure of plants belowground may interact with and relate to life aboveground. The Fine-Root Ecology Database (FRED) brings together information from observations and experiments around the world into one accessible online resource, available publicly at no charge.”

The Library of Congress has launched a new blog called Copyright: Creativity at Work. “The blog will introduce readers to the important work of the Copyright Office and its multitalented staff—many of whom have a personal stake as musicians, artists, and book lovers in the office’s mission to support authors and users of creative works. Upcoming posts will inform readers about the office’s studies and reports, developments in domestic and international copyright law and policy, registration practice and other exciting news related to the Office.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

A new version of WordPress (4.7.3) is now available. “WordPress 4.7.3 is now available. This is a security release for all previous versions and we strongly encourage you to update your sites immediately. WordPress versions 4.7.2 and earlier are affected by six security issues…”

From the Library of Congress: New Web Feature Highlights Veterans Living with PTSD. “The Veterans History Project (VHP) today launched ‘PTSD: A Lasting Impact of War,’ the latest installment in its online ‘Experiencing War’ website series. The site examines 12 digitized collections found in the VHP archive, all of which include veterans describing their military service, its impact on their mental health and the challenges they have faced in finding the care they need while living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”

The Next Web: Twitch relaunches Curse as the Twitch Desktop App. “Last year, the Amazon-owned Twitch acquired Curse – a popular, gamer-focused chat application – for an unspecified sum. Now we know what it intends to do with it, as it’s relaunched the software as the Twitch Desktop App.”

USEFUL STUFF

MakeUseOf: 8 Super Simple To-Do List Tools to Keep You Focused. “For long-term task planning and scheduling, you need a robust system of tools to get a bird’s eye view of all your projects. But, on a day-to-day basis, a piece of paper works best as a catch-all for your most important tasks. It brings back your focus where it belongs: to your work. Apps that insist on a similar basic approach work just as well. In this article, we’ll look at eight such minimalist tools for tracking your daily tasks.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

New York Magazine: Twitch Isn’t the New Twitter. It’s Even Bigger Than That.. “On Monday, the Verge reported that Twitch, the live-streaming video-game website, would be ‘launching a Twitter competitor.’ That competitor is Pulse — an updating feed that collects photos, images, and text from Twitch users. ‘If Twitter were ever going to be disrupted,’ the Verge’s Casey Newton wrote, ‘this is exactly what I’d imagine it would look like.’ But casting Twitch in the mold of a media-favorite app like Twitter is a mistake. Twitch doesn’t seem to want to be the new Twitter, and more importantly, it doesn’t need to be.”

SECURITY/LEGAL ISSUES

China Daily: Chinese search engine operators fined for false internet ads. “China’s two leading search engine operators, Baidu and Sogou, were fined on Thursday for their negligence in publishing unchecked advertising for unlicensed medical services and private companies. The fines were issued by the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Bureau on charges of publishing false and illegal advertisements.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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